Fan



Sept; 2 ,1938. w. KISLING 2,130,802

FAN

Filed April 26, 1937 I 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 I Immune. X7 Wuunm L. KISLING Gnome? Sept. 20, 1938. W.'L.VKISLING 2,130,802

FAN

Filed April 26, 1937 2 Sheets-Sheet 2' 25 very advantageousmovement of the air by which turned toward the fan will deflect the air out- 5 described and .wh'ich-will'cause the desired outaction has only created a vacuum beneath the 55 Patentedsept zi), t 4 13 1 UNITE-DESTATES PATENT; OFFICE William L. Killing, St. Louis, 110. Application April 2c; 1931, No. 138,993 icum (elm-21,4) My invention relatesto'improvements in air wardscirculation of the air' from the fan-and. circulating and cooling fans wilL-in addition, greatly facilitate the flow of 1 The common electric or powerdriven fan now the circulated air back into the direct air stream' used .for cooling and circulating the airi's very flowing ofi the member for re-circulatlon there- 5 ,inefiective' in thatitsimplydirects a relatively with. Actual experiments have shown a subnarrow blast of air forwardly along theline oi stantial increase in efliciency brought about by its axis and thus its cooling effect is limi'ted to -a this invention. small area. Furthermore the air is not in real- -Another object is to provide a fan having an ity circulated since itmoves in only one direcimproved air deflecting and circulating means tion-(away from the fan) and as a result anywhich comprises a conical member arranged with 10 one directly in'the path of the air will feel an its apex adjacent and .in alignment with the fan actual draft of air while others outside the field axis with its sides. flaring outwa y in the will feel no air movement at all. rection of air travel from the fan and, .in con- In the attemptto widen the fieldcovered by nection therewith, another conical member re- 15 thefan variolls deflecting elements have been arversed in'position so that its apex is turned to- 15 ranged in the path of theair blast and the most ward the air returning to the fan to direct this efiective oi'these has been a relatively flatconiair out again into main air streamcal member placed immediately in front of the Another j t s to pr vi an a r d fl in fan with its apex nexttothe fan ent r so that and circulating element of this kind in the form I the air blast impinges the outwardly and mrof a double cone with oppositely turned apices so 20 wardlyflari-ng sides of the member; Th i that. air striking either end, as it were, will be is then directed outwardly in all dir ti ns a d directed outwardly to merge at the center in a ofcours covers a wide field; At the same time common plane. Such an assembly supported in there results from this arrangement a new and a Stream Of from h with One apex theair isa t ll em i l t moving away wardly in all directions as will be evident. When from the fan in an outwardly sweeping, swirling this assembly is located overhead with the air motion and then movin i dly and back t stream directed downwardly the outward diward. the fan again.) Toja limit d xt t. (th version thereof will cause the airto reach the ao reason forthis beingjde crib d hereinafter) thi outermost confines of the room and then turn 0 air'asit reachesthe ra again .i drawn tinwardly alongthe floor picking up the coolest ward into the air strearn flowing Qfl'the deflectair therefrom. Under the influence of continuaing' member and continues its circulation Th tion of this motion the air moves upwardly again action thus amountstoa .freirculati of th toward the fan and impinging the lower apex .air aind the eifec t can be t :b d s rib d a of the deflecting element is diverted thereby out- 3 gentle. draftless and nondirectionai mo ntwardly to enter the main air stream again. In which causes a revitalizingand refreshi lthismanner the air is continuously circulated nesssto'be felt equally in all parts of the room. and re-circulated... As the air reaches the fan It is found.,.in practice however-that the air: on its return from the floor it will be noted that 40 has a tendency to pocket in the open, concave y y inv n on i me s element designed V side of the deflecting-element which of rs tosmoothlyand expeditiously guide it back into 7 interieres, greatly wjth the'..-m0'vement of the the mainair stream WithOllt any resistance what- I a1; b k 'i t th di t t limitever, whereas in the past the air has met with ing,- .thefre-circulati u fzthe air s ab v de p an actual pocket, formed by the concaved lower scribed. sAls o since these fansaremost expedi-r face of the deflecting element. The continu- 45 tiously'mountedwithi-the;fan. axis'in a vertical. ous circulation of the air ,istherefore obviously plant-:3 and with .-thef;apex pf the defiectingfele-s facilitatedand enhanced. Inasmuch as the 2,1! p pwardly, the concaveqside. offthis element stream flowing ofi the deflecting element direct is exposed downwardly andshas an unfinished from the. fan of course is stronger'than the reappearance detracting'from the desirable artistic urn str am th is s p a ion actin at. 50 efiectof the fanfifr 1.: V. 1. the; edge of the element which aids the action :With the foregoing'factsi'in' mind it is the main. of my invention in that it draws the return air object of: my invention to. provide an improved out to the direct air stream for re-circulation form-ofdeflecting member for use with a fan as therein whereas in the previous structure this' of air re-circulation. not hitherto conceived of nor possible.

Another object of my invention is to provide an improved fan assemblyas a whole wherein not alone is'my improved deflecting element and principle embodied but wherein this element, the fan and its motor are all enclosed and protected by an ornamental and attractive housing which-may carry the lights for the room as well as the fan and in which is included an improved motor mounting means supporting the motor resiliently so that no vibration can be transmitted to the fan and housing.

With these and other objects in view the invention resides in the novel construction and arrangement of parts as hereinafter fully set forth and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings as showing preferred embodiments of my invention for purposes of exemplification.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a vertical cross sectional view through an entire fan assembly constructed in accordance with my invention.

Figure 2 is an inverted plan view of the fan.

Figure 3 is a side elevation of the improved deflecting member alone.

Figure 4 is a diagrammatic view on a reduced scale showing the action of the air moved by the fan.

Figure 5 is a view similar to Figure 3 showing a modified form of the invention.

Figure 6 is an enlarged cross sectional detail view of the resilient motor mounting.

In carrying out my invention as shown in the drawings Iprovide a supporting column 5 adapted to be suspended from the ceiling in well known manner and attach to the lower end thereof a crowfoot 6 having radially extending arms I apertured at 8 near their outer ends and having their extremities 9 turned downwardly and provided with tapped holes "I. This crowfoot 6 supports the whole assembly and is enclosed and concealed by a cylindrical housing ll afllxed to the ends 9 by screws l2 as shown. The electric motor I3 is supported within (and concealed) by this housing I I by studs H extended from the upper end of the motor and passed loosely through the openings 8 in the crowfoot. Rubber collars ii are placed on the studs I4 above and below the crowtoot arms I and while engaging the studs nicely are themselves spaced Iromthe arms by washers l6 which have marginal rims I I enclosing the edges of the collars and inner flanges l8 which engage the openings 8 and center the studs out of any contact with the arms I. A washer i9 is placed a top each assembly and nuts 20 are screwed on'the studs. In this manner the motor is suspended entirely on rubber and will upper ends beneath the screws I2 and at their lower ends secured by screws 28 to the upper rim of theshell. This shell 24 is located at a level just below the lower end of the housing I! and thus while both the motor l3 and fan 2| are concealed and protected by these parts there still is left more than adequate space for air circulation around the fan.

Both the housing I I and the shell 24 may be very attractively ornamental in both shape and finish and lamp sockets, as at 21, may be mounted on the assembly so that it combines the functions of fan and lighting fixture or chandelier.

The structure sofar recited of course will operate to direct a blast of air directly-downwardly from the fan thus having only a limited field or usefulness and causing only a single, current of air without any circulation of the air around the entire room.

To bring about a deflection of the air all about the room a deflecting member, plate or head 28 is provided, the same being in the form of a relatively flat truncated cone of any suitable diameter at its outer margin 29. The flattened apex 30 of this plate is located beneath and at the centeror axis of the fan 2| and the sloping and firing sides 3| then extend outwardly below the fan bladesas shown. The plate is supported in this position'by arms 32 secured at 33 to the rim or margin 29 of the plate and extended radial- 1y outward and turned upwardly inside the shell 24 where they are secured at 38. By this arrangement the plate 28 is supported slightly below the level of the shell 24 which facilitates the flow of air of! the plate without interference from the shell.

Now as the air thrown downward from the fan strikes the plate 28 it is deflected laterally and outwardly in all directions and sets up a' down wardly and outwardly sweeping motion as indicated by the arrows in Figure}. This motion then turns into an inwardly and upwardly moving stream also as shown in the same view and the air finally reaches the Ian again after having made a complete circuit out to the walls and across the floor of the room as will be understood.

To take this upwardly moving already circulated air and recirculate it causing it to reenter the air stream flowing ofi the plate 28, I provide another cone shaped plate or member 35 which is mounted in an inverted position below the plate 28. This plate 35, hereinafter termed the lower plate, is not truncated and has its pointed apex 36 turned downward with the sides 31 flaring outwardly and upwardly to the rim or margin 38. The rims 29 and 38 of the two plates are secured together in any suitable manner as by: welding making a unitary assembly of the w o e.

with the addition of this lower plate 35 the air flowing upwardly toward the fan meets the plate and is directed thereby out in a radial direction on the' rim 38 where it meets the relatively stronger current of air flowing past direct from the tan and merges therewith. The air is thus re-circulated constantly about the room so long as the fan is in operation and the efliect is a revitalizing Ireshing of the air which cools the whole room without causing a draft at any point.

Heretofore only the upper plate 28 has been used and as a result the concave lower face 39 ment of the appearance of the unit, but, more thereof has been exposed not alone to. the detriimportant, to the hindrance of the circulation I wardly moving current of air upon reaching the to a great extent would not reenter the air stream plate would form a pocket in this concavity and from the fan. Furthering this action the rush of air oflf the margin of the plate would have a tendency to form a relative vacuum below the plate. The use of another inverted plate as 1 do however completely eliminates the air pocket and all'theair reenters the direct. air Stream being directed thereinto by the shape of the plate and at the same time socket into the stream as it rushes oif the upper plate. plate 35 streamlines the assembly and so doing of course facilitates and guides the flow of air past the plate in the desired direction.

Actual tests have shown thereto be a considerableforce in'the air flowing up to the center of the fan and in Figure 5 is shown a means whereby advantage of this force is taken to further increase the circulation. In this assembly the upper and lower plates "(t-35a are as described hereinbefore but from the center of the lower plate a small shaft 40 is depended and a small fan I is journaled thereon. This fan ll thus may turn in a horizontal plane and under the influence of the upwardly moving air flow will be set in motion. As a result this air stream will be thrown outward into the direct air stream and at the same time the velocity and force of the upward stream will be increased to some extent at least by the rotation of this fan. It is submitted that this principle oi.circula.-

tion and recirculation of air by an overhead fan has not been conceived before this invention even though a conical plate has been used in connection with fans of various kinds. In fact due to the formation or an air pocket as described in In fact, the lowerv the face of the single plate a real and tangible re-circulation has not been possible. It is further thought that the assembly of the fan as a whole is new and is of advantage not only from the standpoint of appearance but also for the reason that the shell surrounding the fan aids the operation by confining the air flow so that it all must needs strike the deflecting element.

The bringing of the apex of the lower plate 35 to a point is important so that-no obstruction will be formed to hinder the directing of the air equally out intov the direct air stream for recirculation.

. While I have herein set forth certain preferred embodiments of my invention it is understood that I may vary from the same in minor structural details so as best to provide a practical device for the purposes intended, not departing from the spirit of the invention and within the scope of the appended claim.

I claim:

An overhead circulating fan assembly comprising, a support, a fan and motor suspended from the support with the fan arranged to operate in a horizontal plane beneath the motor, an annular fan guard shell supported around the fan, a double cone deflector member supported below the fan and comprising an upper conical member having its apex turned upwardly toward the .fan, and a lower conical. memberhaving its apex turned downwardly away from the fan, the base of the cones being secured together and being of smaller diameter than the said shell, and arms extended radially between the shell and the junction between the cones for supporting the cones concentrically with respect to the shell.

WILLIAM L. KISLING. 

